VP, Program Management, Rail

Company Description

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Job Description

The Rail Program Director is the senior executive leader accountable for the overall strategy, direction, and successful delivery of a major Light Rail Transit program of high complexity, public visibility, and strategic importance. The role establishes the vision and delivery environment for the program, ensuring outcomes are achieved in alignment with client objectives, statutory approvals, regulatory obligations, and wider transport network integration goals.

This role provides executive-level leadership across all technical, commercial, operational, and stakeholder domains of the LRT program, ensuring safe, compliant, and integrated delivery across planning, design, construction, systems, testing, and commissioning phases. The Program Director champions excellence in safety leadership, assurance, and governance, while driving innovation, digital delivery, and continuous improvement. The role also plays a pivotal part in developing capability, strengthening market position, and enhancing long-term value for communities and transport authorities.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Strategy:

• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for the LRT program, ensuring alignment with client objectives, transport strategies, funding agreements, and regulatory frameworks.
• Define and communicate a clear vision for successful program delivery, balancing safety, performance, cost, schedule, quality, and public outcomes.
• Shape the overall delivery strategy, including packaging, contracting models, alliances, PPPs, or design-and-construct approaches as appropriate.

Governance & Assurance:

• Establish and maintain a robust program governance framework, enabling effective senior decision-making, assurance, escalation, and performance oversight.
• Ensure compliance with rail safety legislation, independent safety assessor (ISA) requirements, systems assurance frameworks, and operator requirements.
• Lead program-wide assurance, readiness, and gateway processes across design, construction, testing, commissioning, and operational handover.

Integrated Delivery Oversight:

• Direct and oversee senior delivery leaders across civil infrastructure, rail systems, rolling stock, utilities, stations, depots, operations readiness, and integration.
• Ensure coordination and interface management between civil works, systems, third parties, operators, maintainers, and government stakeholders.
• Maintain accountability for end-to-end integration, including network interfaces, interfaces with existing rail or road networks, and urban environments.

Stakeholder & Client Leadership:

• Act as the primary executive interface with transport authorities, government agencies, operators, regulators, local councils, and funding bodies.
• Lead complex stakeholder environments involving public, political, community, and media sensitivities with credibility and authority.
• Represent the program and organization at executive forums, steering committees, and industry engagements.

Safety, Risk & Quality Leadership:

• Hold senior accountability for safety leadership across the program, fostering a strong safety culture aligned with rail regulatory expectations.
• Oversee program-wide risk management, environmental stewardship, and quality systems, ensuring risks are proactively identified and managed.
• Champion health, safety, and wellbeing outcomes for workforce, passengers, and communities.

Commercial & Financial Stewardship:

• Provide executive oversight of commercial strategy, contract administration, claims management, and supplier relationships.
• Maintain accountability for program financial performance, funding compliance, and value-for-money outcomes.
• Guide strategies f